


What Took You So Long?  1-3/3

by punky_96



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: AU, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 16:00:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10666035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punky_96/pseuds/punky_96
Summary: AU. Callie and Mark had a son named Marcos, but ended up as friends.  Principal Hahn helps to keep Marcos in line at school, but will she cross lines for Callie?  Callie in the fic is 36, Mark is 45 and Erica is 44 that way Marcos is 10. Callie was 26 when he was born.





	What Took You So Long?  1-3/3

  
_**What Took You So Long.  Part 1/3.**_  
  
“Oh, I have to go, Mama. Principal Hahn is out front again. I bet she’s looking for me.” Callie hung up her cell phone and pulled out of the long line of cars to pick up children at the front of the school and pulled into a parking space. Hollybrook Elementary School was a relatively small school and Callie was really glad that when she bought the house it had been in an excellent neighborhood. Unfortunately a small school meant that most people knew each other’s business as well. Marcos was the new kid in sixth grade and he quickly made a name for himself. Everyone knew by now that if Principal Hahn was outside looking for someone, it was because Marcos was in trouble (again). Flustered Callie got out of the car smoothing down her scrubs and grabbing her purse. She had told Marcos to quit getting in trouble, not only because she was disappointed in his choices, but also because Principal Hahn made her uncomfortable.  
  
“Dr. Torres.” Principal Hahn greeted her as she walked in from the parking lot. Callie shook her hand and tried for a smile. “Thank you for coming in.” They turned and headed into the front office.  
  
“What did Marcos do now?” Callie asked as she followed her in. As they passed Marcos sitting in the chairs in the front of the office she narrowed her eyes at him. He groaned and leaned back in the seat so that his head hit the wall behind him. Satisfied that he knew he was in big trouble, Callie followed the turn of blonde hair as Principal Hahn turned into her office.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Marcos slumped into the beaten tan leather of the red Ranger’s bucket seats. He absently picked at the soccer ball zipper pull on the front of his backpack. If he had remembered he was going to his father’s tonight he would have tried to not get in trouble. Getting in trouble on transfer days was double trouble because his mom came to the school and he got it from Principal Hahn and his mother. In the car she alternated between giving him the silent treatment, muttering quietly to the Santos in Spanish, and at red lights turning to him and lecturing him in rapid fire. He hated the silent treatment. It made him uncomfortable as he sat in anticipation of what his mom was going to say. Her rapid fire lecturing was unbearable because not only was he in trouble and she made him feel bad, but he had a hard time keeping up with her and that by itself could get him into even more trouble. His mother muttering to the Santos in Spanish was mildly amusing as it reminded him of his Abuela.  
  
“Your father and I work hard…” Marcos had heard it a million times and he said each word in his head as she said them. They provide him with everything he could need or want. They helped him with science fair projects and book reports. “I’m going to speak to your father when I drop you off…” This was the part that he dreaded because he couldn’t predict what they would decide. Sometimes he lost privileges, video games or time, or even had to spend time at home instead of going to do fun stuff. He hated that because he didn’t see his father all the time and they always made sure to do something special when he was there visiting. Marcos lost himself in the sad memory of the time that his father had to cancel his weekend with Marcos because his mom had called and said he was in trouble again at school. They were supposed to fly to LA to go to Disneyland and meet Aunt Addison but then Marcos couldn’t go. He stayed with Callie while his father went on the trip alone. It didn’t make any sense to cancel the whole trip.  
  
Callie sighed and in a very quiet voice she said. “I don’t know. Marcos maybe it’s time to go back to your father’s.”  
  
Marcos gasped when he heard that. “What?” He nearly screeched as they came to a stop just three blocks away from his father’s house. He had tuned out and then couldn’t believe what he thought he heard her say. Callie looked over at her son. His reaction seemed to tell her that he wasn’t paying attention. She narrowed her eyes at him in frustration. “Marcos, we talked about this last year after you tried living at your dad’s.”  
  
He opened his mouth to protest, only to close it again. He locked his jaw and stamped his foot against the floorboard of the Rover. He leaned forward hunching over his backpack and glaring at the windshield. Marcos thought of his father, the doctor. Only he was into ears, noses, and stuff unlike his mom who could rebuild bones and put shoulders back in place. His dad worked a lot and when he wasn’t working he was flirting. Marcos had even met a few of the women that he couldn’t get out of the house in the morning early enough. The few that he had met Marcos didn’t like that much, but he never really worried because they didn’t stick around long. His dad rarely had food in the refrigerator. He cooked dinner on the nights that his mom dropped him off, but Marcos remembered coming home from school and not being able to find any snacks. In the evening sometimes when the pizza was all gone, there was nothing else for him to eat. It wasn’t like he was starving but at his mom’s house there were always options.  
  
“You hear about it all the time, Marcos. Kids of split families get to a certain age...”  
  
Marcos thought about his father again. When he visited they always did something special, but when he lived there it was a different story. He had wanted to go to live with his dad because he thought that it would be an adventure all the time. Pretty girls, pizza, and baseball games danced in his head. Spring of fifth grade was a learning experience for all of them. Summer brought Marcos back to Callie’s house and a collective sigh of relief for all of them. The fall at a new school however brought a different wind of change than the one they were expecting. Marcos tuned out as Callie spoke. He was angry at himself and the circumstances. His mind kept flashing on details from his dad’s house and his mom’s. Food, laundry, his Abuela in the afternoons all crossed his mind as he thought about his future.  
  
“What about Sasha?” He suddenly blurted.  
  
Callie looked at him unsure what to think. He had seemed to be in an angry daze, but now was catching on. Callie thought it was odd that his first question was about his dog. She wrinkled her brow at him. “You know your father is allergic. That’s why I kept her last year, Marcos.”  
  
Hugging his backpack to him Marcos clenched his jaw biting it back and forth from side to side. He hugged his backpack to his chest. His problems were multiplying before him: suspended from school, in trouble with his mom, and soon in trouble with his dad. If he had to go live with his dad, then he would lose his dog on top of everything else. He fought to keep the stinging in his eyes from becoming tears. He hunched forward holding his mouth against his backpack. They pulled into his dad’s driveway. Callie looked over at her son. She hated when he was upset, but his choices were adding up to a bad pattern. Middle school was beginning next year and she was afraid her son was going to have a really hard time in middle school. He was bright, but his charm had gotten him out of trouble until now, and she was certain that his charm would get him into other trouble in the future. He was only in sixth grade, but he was going to be a teenager before they knew it.  
  
“Marcos.” Callie said softly looking at his long spiky hair. She liked it because you could find him in any crowd. He liked it because he had a cool hairstyle. He looked up at her and she gulped when she saw his eyes shining with unshed tears. “Listen to me, okay.” He nodded at her and wiped at his eyes. “You have been making a lot of bad choices, but you still have some time to make good choices. So far you haven’t made any changes, so I have to look long run at what to do with you. Living with your father is not an option I want to use, but if we need to change everything in your life in order for you to wake up, then that might be what has to happen.” Callie rested her hand on Marcos’ shoulder. “You can still make choices that avoid this, okay? We will continue to talk to you and work with you, but things have to change. Understand?”  
  
Marcos nodded and sniffed his nose. His goal of not crying had failed and he didn’t trust his voice.  
  
Callie made sure her voice stayed calm instead of angry or sad. “Marcos, you can achieve anything that you want, but you have to make the choices for it.” He unwrapped his hands from his backpack and reached for the car door, but Callie was quicker with the power locks. “Marcos?”  
  
He sniffed again and then swallowed hard looking up at her with sad blue eyes that contrasted with his dark skin. “I understand, mom.” He said taking a big sigh. He had learned that he couldn’t get away easily so he kept his eyes on hers and waited.  
  
The front door of the house opened and Callie glanced over and back to her son. “We’ll take each day as it comes, but you’ve got to make better choices.”  
  
Marcos wiped his face one more time before nodding. “Yes, mom.” Callie clicked the power locks.  
  
The car door opened and Marcos turned to his dad. “Hey guys. What’s going on?” Mark reached in taking Marcos’ backpack but changed his happy tune when he saw the tear streaks on his son’s face. “Oooh. What’s going on?” He paused looking at his ad hoc family. Keeping his voice calm he invited them in. “You know let’s head inside, I think.” Mark looked up to catch Callie’s eye. “Do you have time for dinner, Callie?”  
  
Shaking her head at the Sloan smile, Callie agreed. “I think I have to.”  
  
Mark’s face turned serious as he looked from Callie to Marcos and back again. “Principal Hahn looking for you in the parking lot again?”  
  
Letting out the pained sigh of the victim, Marcos leaned his head back against the car headrest, “Oh man.”  
  
Rubbing his knuckles into Marcos’ carefully styled spikes, Mark pulled the backpack out of the car. “Come on then.” When Marcos fidgeted with his hair the whole way from the Rover to the front door Mark added, “Maybe we should take his gel away, Cal? What do you think?”  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Driving like her hair was on fire Callie parked in the visitor parking space almost in the lines. Slamming the door Callie nearly tripped herself on the curb of the planter as she rushed toward the office. Ripping open the blue office door Callie looked frantically around the office. The secretary was on the phone and Callie couldn’t tell where the nurse’s office was, she was just getting ready to give herself the tour when Principal Hahn stepped out of her office. “Dr. Torres, how can I help you?” Her voice was soft and full of concern, unlike the other times Callie had met her.  
  
“My son. My. My.”  
  
Principal Hahn tilted her head in concern and confusion. “Dolores?” She called to her secretary. There was no answer from the woman and Principal Hahn stepped forward. “Ms. Littleton, put them on hold.” There was no mistaking the command in Principal Hahn’s steely calm voice. The phone clicked quickly and Principal Hahn surged forward. “Where is Marcos?” The woman cowered sufficiently but pointed to the left. Principal Hahn placed her hand softly on Callie’s arm and then her back as she guided her to the Health Office. “Let’s get him.”  
  
Her son was flat out on the green plastic couch with an ice pack taped to each knee, one elbow, and his hand holding another to his head. There was blood on his shirt but it had been cleaned off of his face. A cut on his cheek below his eye made Callie tear up. He was asleep or trying to be and did not notice when she came in. The nurse was tending to one of the other children who had been throwing up in class. Callie turned and found herself flush from breast to toe with Principal Hahn. Something more than an electric shock coursed through her body, and Callie stepped back with a ‘whoosh’ of surprise. “What? What happened?” Callie ran her fingers over her mouth and chin suddenly unsure of what she was asking. She looked at Marcos again and coughed before speaking. “What happened to Marcos?”  
  
Principal Hahn looked overwhelmed for a second and then in a flash that was replaced with authority as she spoke to calm Callie. “Dr. Torres, it looks like a PE incident of some kind. When Ms. Duvall has that boy settled I’m sure she’ll fill us in. Why don’t we go sign him out in the register out front so that you can take him immediately after you talk to her.” Principal Hahn let her hand rest once again on Callie’s arm and then back as she guided her out to the parent sign out log on the front counter. Callie didn’t notice as Principal Hahn reached out, hesitated, and then placed her hand on her. Principal Hahn barely noticed this little battle within herself as she let her principal persona guide her.  
  
“Dr. Torres. I wish you were here under better circumstances, but I did want to let you know—”  
  
Callie looked up from the notebook her jaw dropping. Her day just couldn’t get any better. “I know Ms. Hahn, but he’s been trying really hard.” Callie knew that Marcos was a troublemaker, but really, was this the time?  
  
Principal Hahn stepped closer to Callie shaking her head. “No, no. Dr. Torres, I was going to tell you that Marcos has been doing a great job lately. He still has moments I’m sure like all the other kids, but Mr. Bingham was just up here two days ago telling me what a change he’s seen. In fact I’d be on the look out for an invite for the Student of the Month Assembly next month, if I were you.” Principal Hahn’s eyes had softened to the most beautiful sky color as she was talking and when she finished a genuine smile filled her features lighting up her cheeks. Callie found herself smiling in return despite herself. Principal Hahn didn’t seem the type to go out of her way to give compliments. In fact everything that Callie had seen of this woman had been straight down to business, and no holds barred about getting the job done. She had seen her having a heart to heart with the secretary one day when she had been called in for one of Marcos’ stunts. She was glad that the Chief wasn’t hard as nails, but she liked the idea that her son was in the care of someone who demanded the best from everyone and accepted no excuses. Callie’s respect for her had shot up when she watched her talk to Marcos. She treated him with respect, but at the same time she was very direct in telling him where he had deviated from the expected behavior of the classroom and the school.  
  
Callie flushed with warmth at her kind words and genuinely caring expression. “Well, that’s, that’s wonderful, Ms. Hahn. Thank you.” Dumbstruck Callie was nodding in an offhand way pulled in too many directions by work, her son, and now Principal Hahn.  
  
“Ms. Duvall is available now. Let’s go in.” Ms. Hahn motioned once more for Callie to proceed back to the Health Office. Before she knew what she was doing Principal Hahn was looking the back of Callie up and down as she walked. ‘It must be her day off.’ She mused before she thought better of it. ‘Those jeans look really good on her.’ Catching herself Principal Hahn stayed in the doorway of the Health Office listening. When it seemed that Dr. Torres and Ms. Duvall were sufficiently engaged in conversation Principal Hahn excused herself and left the office building entirely.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
“Mark? Are you there?”  
  
The phone picked up but there was a lot of fumbling. Callie rolled her eyes. “Yes. Hmmm. I’m here, what’s up?”  
  
Imagining him rushing to the phone after disentangling himself from whatever he was doing made Callie smile. Even after all these years—he still came when he was called. He was out of breath and sounded kind of dazed, but if Callie or Marcos called, then he was like an intern answering a page. “Sorry to interrupt, Mark.” Some denial sounds come from his end of the line, but Callie just talked over him. “I had to wait until Marcos was asleep.” She looked furtively toward the hallway just in case. “Remember I said that Ms. Hahn said he was doing a good job?” A non-committal grunt was all the answer she received and she hoped that he was not scratching his ass while he talked to her. She had to bite her lip in order to not ask him, because he would tell her. “Yeah, well. The Student of the Month Assembly invite came today. I was hoping that you could come, Mark. It’s in two weeks.”  
  
There was silence for a moment and then Mark came back. “Surrree. Tell me again?”  
  
Mark punched the information into his shiny new iPhone and they hung up. Callie wondered if it was a good thing that she knew him this well when they hadn’t been together in nearly ten years or if it’s a sign and symptom of why she was single still. Then she laughed to herself—she was a single mom and liked girls. Mark Sloan was fun, hell he is fun, but he was the ultimate baby’s daddy and pal for BBQ and baseball games.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Callie had arranged her schedule so that she could go to the hospital after the assembly. She woke early and dressed nicely. Marcos looked at her funny as they were heading to school, but he had learned to not always ask the questions that crossed his mind. His mom was a mysterious creature and he had learned to watch and wait instead of jumping to conclusions. If he didn’t know any better he thought his mom was getting ready for a date, but he knew that couldn’t be right—it was a weekday morning and he hadn’t seen Jessica in months. Idly he wondered if she had a job interview. He hoped not because he didn’t want to move away from their new house or his dad. Just because he didn’t want to live with him full time, didn’t mean that he wanted to move away from him either. Mentally he checked off his list of worries in his head. He had been doing okay at school, his grades were all right (he even wrote his book report!) and his parents were still friendly like usual. When Jim Turner moved away it was because him mom got re-married, when Isaac Ornelas moved he had been sent because of his grades to his dad’s house, and when Polly Brady had moved it was because her parents had changed jobs.  
  
The kiss his mom gave him was just as warm as always and she smelled good so he shrugged off his worries for later and headed into class. He did not see his mom circle around and park in a space. Marcos didn’t know that he would be celebrating instead of worrying a mere forty-five minutes later. Callie applied her lipstick and checked it the rearview mirror before stepping out of the Rover. She was glad to be at school for a reason other than her son getting in trouble or mangled in PE. The bounce in her step had nothing to do with the blonde principal signing certificates in the office. At least that’s what she told herself as she slowly pulled open the blue door and greeted the secretary.  
  
“Dol—Oh! Good morning, Dr. Torres. How are you today?”  
  
The flash of Callie’s smile did strange things to her stomach, but Principal Hahn attributed that to the stress of not having the certificates on time. “I’m good. I know I’m early but it didn’t make sense to go home or work.” Callie was wringing her hands together nervously in front of her. “I, uh, can I help with something?”  
  
A pleased sparkle lit up Principal Hahn’s eyes and she nodded distractedly (happily, but distractedly). “That would be lovely.” Principal Hahn turned to her secretary, “Dolores, have the snacks arrived yet?” The older woman nodded severely and leveled a look at her boss. “Dr. Torres can help you get them set out in the multi-purpose room.” With a dismissive nod at Ms. Hahn the woman stepped into action.  
  
“Come this way, Dr. Torres.” The woman walked with a military gait that demanded you follow or forget about it. Callie took a fleeting look at Principal Hahn once more drinking in her blonde hair, ocean blue eyes, and tall frame hugged in a pants suit. They each blinked and then the moment washed forward over them and Callie trotted to catch up to the small lady that ran the office.  
  
The door slowly shut but Principal Hahn did not move as she watched the raven-haired woman walk quickly in her heels, tight jeans, and yellow shirt. The phone rang and lost in a daze Principal Hahn watched Callie talking to Dolores through the office windows while it continued to ring. When they were out of sight, the phone ringing caught her attention. “Ms. Duvall? The phone.” She reminded the other woman in the office as she returned to her desk covered with the re-printed certificates.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
“Mark.” He turned at the sound of his name and stood next to Callie along the sidewall of the auditorium. “Where have you been?” Callie had been waiting for him to arrive and worried that he wouldn’t, but she couldn’t just yell at him at school.  
  
Looking around himself Mark took in the other parents, the kid sized benches and their owners trying to wait patiently for the assembly to start. He smiled thanking god that he didn’t work at a school. He loved his son like nothing else in his life, but he seriously didn’t want to be around that many little kids. He couldn’t wait until Marcos was in high school playing baseball, driving a car, and worried about taking a girl out on a date. He tried to be the good guy, but he just wasn’t all that great at it. He couldn’t do the Fuzzy Caterpillar and Curious George stuff. Furthermore a part of him suspected that ever since Callie, he just couldn’t settle down. He already had a family that didn’t require him to ‘grow up,’ so there was no incentive for him to ‘settle down’ like his mother kept telling him. Mark smiled as he found his son’s spiky hair in the crowd and then saw his cool head nod of a greeting. He knew that his son was going to be a heart breaker just like his dad. He just hoped that he made good decisions and used his charm for good instead of evil. Mark returned Marcos’ head nod with his own and returned his attention to Callie.  
  
“You look nice.” Her hair tickled his lips as he whispered close to Callie’s ear. “Wanna get some lunch after?”  
  
Callie shrugged away from him shaking her head no.  
  
Principal Hahn walked up the center aisle of the multipurpose room and the low rumble of quiet voices in the room fell away to silence. She was a tall woman, made all the taller in her heels, and she was a powerful woman, made all the more powerful by the accent of her pants suit and fiercely proud gaze she threw over the microphone to the crowd. All eyes were on her except for Mark’s, whose eyes kept flickering back and forth from her to Callie.  
  
“Good morning, Hollybrook.”  
  
The kids in unison chorused back to her. “Good morning, Ms. Hahn.”  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Like ducklings following their teacher, the kids made their way back to the rooms. Mark and Callie waited by the door to give Marcos’ high fives and an embarrassingly motherly hug. The parents lingered for many moments talking and munching on the snacks left from the assembly. Not all of the parents had been able to arrive early so it was nice to meet a few more of them. Callie still felt like the new parent on the block having moved into the neighborhood at the end of last year while Marcos was staying with Mark. Things had gone south with Jessica and she just wanted a fresh start. The opportunity for a larger house in such a great part of town was too good to pass up, but it meant that Marcos had to change schools.  
  
The other parents left after not too long, but Mark lingered with Callie. He had a theory that needed testing and no surgeries for the day. Mark smirked to himself as he made small talk with the single moms, ‘It’s not hard to see where Marcos gets his naughty tendencies.’ He watched the tall blonde circulate around the room by watching Callie’s face and body language.  
  
The soccer team required a lot of discussion and Mark was all too glad to be talking to Melinda, Irving’s mom, instead of Peter, Irving’s dad. When it came to soccer he just wanted Marcos to not get hurt and to know if he had a game on Saturday. Melinda did not discuss soccer instead leaving that to her husband. Besides she was easy to look at with her short brown hair and green eyes. Mark was glad that he had met her in a school chaperoned setting so that he knew she was landmine instead of an option. Had he met her somewhere else, like the hospital, then he might have hit on her. This way he knew she was unavailable from the start. In fact as he stood there talking to her he thought that talking to women in the school setting was perfect. At the hospital you never knew what other attachments someone had. In a school it was pretty clear who had kids and what their level of intensity was. More importantly their availability was usually general information. Mark’s eyes had fairly glossed over as he thought of the possibilities until Principal Hahn came over to greet Melinda.  
  
“So good to see you again, Melinda.” Principal Hahn rested her hand on Melinda’s arm as she greeted her. It was not a hug, but it was more personable than Mark was expecting. He had heard about Principal Hahn from Marcos and it sounded like she was the severe librarian type out of Mark’s library dominatrix fantasies. This woman had a commanding presence no doubt, but she somehow also had this aura of softness to her. Mark thought that she glowed in the slightly yellow fluorescent lighting of the multi-purpose room.  
  
“Good to see you too, Erica. This was a nice ceremony.”  
  
Principal Hahn turned her body to address Melinda and look at Mark. “Who is this you have here?”  
  
“Marcos’ dad, Mark Sloan.” Melinda made the usual Vanna White arm wave to introduce them.  
  
Mark beamed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Principal Hahn.” Mark held out his hand for a handshake and his knees turned to jelly when her warm palm pressed flat against his with a firm squeeze.  
  
“Mr. Sloan. Marcos has told me about you.” Principal Hahn smiled and let go of his hand. “Wait, Dr. Torres told me about you. You’re a doctor too, right?” Her gravelly voice was tearing up his ability for higher cognitive functions, but he nodded pleasantly.  
  
Mark put his hands inside the pockets of his pants. He wished for his lab coat. “I’ve heard quite a lot about you as well, ma’am.” He gave her a sly look that was a mainstay of the Sloan get-a-girl arsenal.  
  
With a knowing half smile Principal Hahn nodded. “I’ll bet.”  
  
Peter and Callie finished their soccer conversation and joined the trio. “Great assembly, Erica.” Peter said as he shook her hand. “Mark.” He nodded with a smile. “I have to get back to the office. I hope you’ll excuse me.”  
  
Melinda let her hand rest on Principal Hahn’s shoulder as she stepped to follow her husband. “I have to go, too.”  
  
“Thank you for coming, Peter, Melinda.” Principal Hahn said in a pleased purr that had Callie and Mark independently wondering how to get on a first name basis with the formidable woman in front of them.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Half an hour later Mark followed Callie out to the parking lot. “So, lunch?” Mark nudged her with his shoulder. As he had thought Callie came over to talk as soon as he started talking to Principal Hahn and she had stayed afterward to help clean up, etc. until it was clear (at least to Mark) that she was just hanging around.  
  
“Yes.” Callie muttered. Under her breath she added. “Since you cock-blocked me.”  
  
He didn’t say anything but he did hear her. The slam of the car door hid his laugh. He knew there was a reason that he wanted the sound proof quality of his SAAB.  
  
In over ten years of knowing each other they had been to Sam’s Café more times than was probably healthy for them. Callie was the only woman Mark had ever taken there and for some reason even after all this time he could not bring a date there. He would come in on his own sometimes. He would order take out to share with a girl or even Marcos, but he would never bring a girl in. Callie didn’t think twice about it, but only went there when she went with Mark. Sam often wondered about the two of them over the years. More than friends, but definitely not lovers, he just couldn’t put his finger on it. Their son he didn’t question for a minute. His father’s blue eyes and impish personality blended so well with his mother’s darker skinned complexion and nearly black hair.  
  
“So what do you have to do to get on a first name basis with Principal Hahn?”  
  
Callie fixed him with a glare and left it on him as she very deliberately chewed her bite. As patient as a hunting dog Mark took another bite of his lasagne and waited. Callie speared another bite of penne on her fork and waved it in his direction. “Don’t go there, Mark.” She nearly growled at him before taking her bite.  
  
“What?” Mark said the poster child of innocence. “Melinda and Peter are on a first name basis with the principal.” Watching Callie choke on her cola was pure entertainment value.  
  
Calming herself Callie set the fork beside her plate. “Irving has been going to that school for five years, Mark. They know Principal Hahn better than I do.”  
  
It was like waving the cat’s tail at itself for Mark. “You want to know her better, don’t you?”  
  
Looking annoyed Callie beckoned to Sam for their bill. “No. I don’t. She’s just really great with Marcos.”  
  
Sam brought the bill and Mark took it. He looked at it and pretended to examine it in thought before pulling out his wallet. “I didn’t see a ring on her finger.” He mused placing the card in the holder. “I bet she has a ruler in her office.” Mark laid down the bill holder and Sam returned.  
  
Callie bit her lip while she waited for Sam to go.  
  
The Sloan Snark was quicker than the Torres Take Down. “I’d like to reach across her desk and take that blonde hair in my hands.” He held his hand up in the air between them to make his point about how good it would feel to do just that. His smile to Callie’s groan and glare was like heaven. He chuckled as Sam brought back the bill and he signed it.  
  
“Admit it, Torres. Or I’ll stake a claim myself.” He said as he stood.  
  
*** *** ***

 

  
_**What Took You So Long.  Part 2/2.**_  
  
“Mom. Will you decorate for the dance?” Callie looked at her son like he had grown a second head. She wasn’t sure if he was running a fever again. He never wanted her to come to the school, but here he was not only asking her to do something at the school, but something that came awfully close to the dance and his precious social life. She had already talked to Mark about the number of girls calling the house on Marcos’ behalf. She had threatened him within an inch of his manhood to not encourage his McSteamy ways in their son. He had chuckled and told her it was genetic, but he would do what he could to minimize the dirty mistress part of the McSteamy tradition.  
  
“What honey?” She asked to make sure that she wasn’t dreaming.  
  
Marcos thrust a flyer in her face and said. “Please help, Mom.”  
  
Oh there was the brat side again, Callie wasn’t dreaming. She took the flyer from his hands and read. “Sixth Grade Parents: Please help us decorate for the dance: Thursday at 4pm in the Multi-Purpose Room. Hey isn’t that where the assembly was?”  
  
Marcos shrugged. “Yeah. So you’ll do it, Mom?”  
  
Callie looked her son up and down wondering what this little change was in her son. “Okay. But you have to do the dishes tonight with no complaining.” She ruffled his hair and he ducked out of her reach running for his room.  
  
“Mom! Mom. Can I call Irving?” Marcos shouted from his doorway. Callie nodded and he ran back to claim the phone. “I wanna tell him I’m going to get the extra credit!” Not looking back Marcos disappeared into his room.  
  
Callie rolled her eyes. She knew there was something up with him. Still it was a chance to go to the school and see her favorite woman to look at: Principal Hahn. Picking up her cell phone, Callie dialed her mom. “Hey Momma. Can Marcos stay a little later tomorrow night? He brought home a flyer for me to come and decorate the school for the dance. Please momma?”  
  
“Si. Marcos can stay. Just through dinner or the whole night, mija?”  
  
Callie thought about it, she didn’t need the whole night, but it would be nice. Then again Marcos was leaving with his dad after the dance on Friday so they could leave for vacation. “No, I’ll come get him after dinner when I’m done. I’ll call when I’m on the way, okay.”  
  
Her mother laughed knowing how hard it was to turn down a free night when you’re a single mom. “Okay, mjia. I’ll get him after school. Don’t get in no trouble with that Principal Hahn.”  
  
Callie groaned. She wasn’t sure why she ever introduced Mark and her parents. Pregnant with his child she figured she had to at the time, but it sure had become a liability. He got along with them so well after all these years that he was family regardless of their status as friends or lovers. Callie knew she should be thankful that her family, scattered though it was, got a long. Mark’s support of her life choices personally and with Marcos had been a great help to her when it came to dealing with her parents and coming out. Callie had always been open in her sexuality, but that didn’t make telling her parents about it any easier. Callie couldn’t decide which one they had a harder time with now that she thought about it: being an unwed mother at the start of her internship or when she brought home Emily. Marcos was three and their relationship had finally gotten more serious than a string of nights between the sheets. Shaking her head at the memory Callie focused back on her mother’s laughter.  
  
Without Mark her life would have been very different but she couldn’t always decide if that was a good or bad thing. She was the little girl of the family and to top it off she was a tomboyish daddy’s girl. He had a hard time letting go of the future he had conjured up for his little girl and the reality that he had been presented with on more than one occasion. Mark and her mother shared a love of gossip and enchiladas which resulted in an unbreakable bond that equally delighted and scared Callie even after all these years. She couldn’t believe it when it began, but after more than one Saturday afternoon spent at the kitchen table with them she knew it was real. Mark Sloan sat and gossiped about anyone and every one sitting at the table and laughing with her mother. Marcos himself was also a powerful force of peace in the family as well. It wasn’t always an easy time but 10 years was a long time functioning as a family unit. However when Mark was constantly telling her mom about which girl she had a crush on, it was hard to be thankful. Callie said her goodbyes and hung up the phone all the while thinking that she had another thing to chastise Mark about when she saw him the next day.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Dolores looked at her over her spectacles. It was 3:59 and the office closed at 4:00. She did not want to see another person or upset parent on the Thursday before vacation. She wanted to make a clean get away so she could pack and get ready for her own vacation. She needed one just as much as the children did. In fact she suspected that the adults that worked with children needed a vacation even more than the little balls of energy did. All it did was refuel them so they could start in like the holy terrors they were come the first week of January. Dr. Torres meant that Marcos Torres-Sloan was somewhere nearby. Although she had not seen Marcos in many weeks on a referral, that did little to change her mind about him or his mother for that matter. Not that she didn’t like Dr. Torres, it was just that she was wherever Marcos was. In her mind wherever Marcos was there was trouble. His recent innocence didn’t clear him in her mind.  
  
“I’m here to help with the decorations, but no one is at the multi-purpose room.” Callie informed the ill-tempered woman. “I just wanted to make sure that I had the right day.” Callie held up a wrinkled flyer that matched the ones sitting on the front counter of the office.  
  
Dolores wriggled up to her full height and was about to say something that died quickly on her tongue. Whatever is was left a bad taste in her mouth for at that moment Principal Hahn stepped out of her office and warmly greeted the doctor. “Dr. Torres, I thought I heard you.” She said with a big smile that showed off the sparkle in her eyes. Dolores humphed and sat down at her desk again. Principal Hahn looked at her and the clock and then said in a sing song, “Good afternoon, Dolores.” Callie could have sworn that the sing-song was sarcastic, but Principal Hahn smiled at her and touched her arm so that she would follow her into the conference room. After that Callie didn’t care if she had just sang ‘zipidee doo dah’ to the woman.  
  
The decorations were stacked haphazardly on the conference room table and along the back wall. “Dr. Torres, we have to carry all of these boxes into the multi-purpose room. I’m sorry I thought more people would be here on time.”  
  
Callie stepped forward and grabbed a couple of boxes off the table. “Well it has to get done, right?” Ms. Hahn smiled affectionately at Callie and grabbed some boxes as well. “Lead on, Ms. Hahn.” Callie said with a bright smile. When Ms. Hahn turned Callie thought about that smile and nearly tripped on the rug in the doorway. For her part Ms. Hahn was trying not to think of things to say to Callie. She had realized that whenever the woman was around she had elongated their conversations just to keep talking. Ms. Hahn had also realized the kind of feelings that accompanied her smiles whenever Dr. Torres was around. Her resolve to not turn around and encourage more conversation was shattered when she heard Dr. Torres trip behind her.  
  
“Are you okay?” Ms. Hahn said as she turned to check on Callie. Their hands and boxes touched and the electricity more than the impact caused them to jolt apart and drop everything in an embarrassed heap at each other’s feet.  
  
“Yeah. Um. Here.” Callie had bent down first so she handed the boxes back up to Ms. Hahn.  
  
Sighing and shaking her head in frustration over herself Ms. Hahn played off her romantic nerves with stress. “It’s been that kind of day. Thank you, Dr.—”  
  
Callie stood with her boxes in one arm. The other arm reached out and touched Ms. Hahn’s. “Callie. Just call me Callie.” She looked around them at the empty campus. “It’s going to be a long afternoon of Dr. Dr. Dr., Ms. Hahn.” Callie pushed down her own butterflies to angle her face conspiratorially toward the jittery blonde.  
  
Ms. Hahn blushed pink and she was certainly glad that Callie couldn’t read her mind because it had just flashed to a very different idea of saying Dr. Dr. Dr. on a long afternoon. Coughing and then smiling awkwardly she said, “Okay, Callie. Call me Erica.” With a more pleased look than either of them should be giving they nodded at each other like they had truly accomplished something. “Well, let’s get going.” Erica said as she turned to walk to the multi-purpose room.  
  
A couple of trips passed in easy small talk about how the year was going. The buzz of the walkie-talkie interrupted their conversation as they returned to the office. From the front desk phone Erica called an extension and talked to the custodian. Callie made a trip to the multi-purpose room and back on her own. “I’m sorry I have to go out to the portables and see what is going on with one of the doors. I’ll be back soon to help you.” The apologetic look on Erica’s face made Callie melt a little more than she already had. Callie imagined that Erica would be beautiful with a salty tear in the corner of her eye. Part of her was glad that there was no chance with the Principal because she would never be able to resist her.  
  
Callie covered the shiver that went up her spine by grabbing two of the last few boxes. “I’ll see you in the multi-purpose room then. Any particular idea for these?”  
  
Erica let her hand settle on Callie’s shoulder and then slide slowly down her arm. “Thank you so much, Callie. I have no particular idea of what to do with these decorations. The parents that had sixth graders last year were the ones that had been in charge of this for the last couple of years, but their students all graduated. They don’t have any other younger children at the school and so they’ve moved on. I didn’t think to have them recruit parents last year.” Erica reluctantly pulled her hand away from Callie’s arm and she headed for the front door.  
  
Callie stood dumbfounded for a few moments before she turned with her boxes and made her way to the multipurpose room. Walking back to the office Callie was both relieved and disappointed to see Melinda. The extra help would be greatly appreciated, but at the same time Callie was really enjoying the idea of decorating all alone with Erica. “Callie! I’m so sorry I’m late. I thought that I could get here earlier but there was only one register open at the grocery store.”  
  
“We’re just getting started, Melinda.” Callie smiled the best she could. “You can help me carry the last of the boxes.” Continuing to walk Callie gestured toward the back door of the office that Erica had left unlocked for them. Two more trips was all it took and then they made themselves busy unpacking it all on the stage and arranging it all on the stage. Melinda and Callie laughed when they saw that all the decorations were Hawaiian Luau themed. They even went so far as to go back to the door to check the threatening clouds that hung over Seattle.  
  
Melinda made the comment that they were both thinking. “Well, everyone is ready for vacation and dreaming of places with sandy beaches—even if they aren’t going anywhere.”  
  
Callie nodded and gathered up some streamers that were in the wrong box. “How about you guys? Going anywhere?” She put them on the pile of streamers and then began to sort out the purples, yellows, and reds.  
  
The sound of the school golf cart pulling up outside the door alerted them to another presence. Melinda turned and greeted Erica. “Hello Erica. Sorry I was late.”  
  
Erica nodded before answering back. “Melinda, so good to see you.” She stepped close enough to see all the decorations and looked up at Callie and Melinda. “Well, what do you guys think?”  
  
Both ladies exchanged glances. Callie shrugged sheepishly. “We hadn’t really got that far.”  
  
Erica was just about to respond when Melinda’s cell phone went off. She apologized and stepped outside to take the call. They both watched her go and then looked at each other with another smile. “I think that the pineapples were hung in pairs around the outside of the room. And the streamers were all kinds of crazy and cleverly strung up from end to end and across. I have no idea what to do with these.” Erica said as she kicked a box that was still at the floor of the stage.  
  
They shared a giggle after the well-placed kick sent the box flying a couple of feet to the side. “Maybe we don’t need those?” Callie offered.  
  
Melinda rushed in and grabbed her purse. “I have to go. Lucy’s basketball coach just called she sprained her knee at the game but they are only at half time.” She looked from one to the other in apology. “Sorry Callie.” She waved her arm at all the decorations. “Sorry Erica.” With a shrug she turned and rushed from the building.  
  
Dumbfounded at her sudden departure Callie looked at Erica. “Well, I guess we’re back to Plan A.” Erica’s quizzical look prompted her to explain. “It’s back to just the two of us.” She said and grabbed a green roll of streamer in one hand and a yellow in the other. She handed the green one to Erica. “Now what.”  
  
After a few minutes of conversation they went back to the office and drew a map of the room so that they could plan the decorations. They had just finished a rudimentary plan when Erica’s phone extension rang. She answered it only to come back a couple of minutes later. “It’s the assistant superintendent in HR. She has some questions for me regarding a staff situation. It’ll be a little while.”  
  
Callie grabbed the map, but couldn’t manage much enthusiasm. “I’ll head over and get started.” She said.  
  
“I’ll try to be as quick as I can, Callie. I’m sorry.” Erica said in a deep throaty voice thick with emotion. Callie turned sharply and looked at her lips and then forced herself to look at Erica’s eyes. She nodded because she didn’t trust herself to speak. Quickly she made her way out of the office into the fresh cool December air. Once she had gotten started the decorations came along much better than she thought they would. Callie lost track of time as she focused completely on her project.  
  
Trying to get a vision for the room, Callie backed up into the center with the lights on halfway and a paper pineapple in each hand. She looked around the room and then just stared at the remainder of decorations on the stage. She had made the executive decision that they didn’t need all of them. Erica found her still standing this way some minutes later when she entered the room. Callie didn’t turn around to greet her, so she knew that the woman was unaware of her presence. Erica’s mischievous streak was always held in check around the students and most of the rest of her time as well. This time she couldn’t help herself because even she was ready for vacation and a break from the daily grind.  
  
Erica got within striking distance without being detected so it was a simple matter to rest her hands up over Callie’s shoulders and whisper in her ear. “Boo!”  
  
Erica wasn’t prepared for the blood-curdling scream, attacking pineapple and Spanish immersion course that she received. “Ay dios mio. Erica! What were you thinking? I could have hit you?!”  
  
Callie had thrown the pineapples—one at Erica’s head and the other to the side—and she was horrified that she could have hurt the other woman. Callie grabbed her by the forearms and lightly shook her. Erica’s throaty giggle was hypnotic and Callie just looked into her eyes for a moment holding onto her. “I’m okay.” Erica said in a breathless murmur her breath on Callie’s face heating her within. Callie let her go and looked away. She went and grabbed the pineapple that had been launched the farthest. Erica grabbed the nearer one and then met Callie halfway stopping her with her arm. “I’m sorry I scared you.” She said looking earnestly into Callie’s deep brown eyes.  
  
“It’s okay. I’ve always been very jumpy.”  
  
They made their way to the stage with the pineapples. “What did you say by the way?”  
  
Callie giggled and began to explain what she said. Erica interrupted periodically to repeat words back to her on occasion as she learned. After a while they decided to hang some more of the various decorations like the pineapples and then to string the streamers from place to place connecting them. It took them a while to perfect the two-streamer twirl and some of the decorations fell off with basic tape, but eventually the multi-purpose room looked like it was ready to host the luau the next day. The empty boxes and extra decorations were safely tucked behind the stage and the two ladies turned the light off on their handiwork.  
  
The school was dark and incredibly quiet. Callie stayed close to Erica so that she didn’t run as big of a risk of tripping and falling. Besides it afforded her the chance to inhale Erica’s sweet perfume. “I’m sorry we didn’t have much help.” Erica turned to Callie as they reached the door of the office.  
  
“I haven’t had dinner yet. Would you like to have dinner with me, Erica?” Callie tried her best to channel the McSteamy nonchalance. Callie figured after over ten years of hanging out with Mark that he owed it to her.  
  
It probably wasn’t the McSteamy charm, but instead Callie’s own irresistible brand of Latina bonita. In any case Erica, the woman (not the principal) said yes. Callie called her mom while Erica gathered up her belongings in the office and the two headed out for dinner.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Callie walked into the Chinese restaurant with an extra bounce in her step. She had never been so happy to be abandoned by a group before. Callie thought it was awfully rude of the other parents to not come, especially if there was extra credit involved, but she was thankful to have had the principal all to herself. At first it was a little awkward being alone with Principal Hahn—Erica—but then it had just turned out to be really nice. Focusing on the decorations made it a lot easier to tamp down on her nerves and to be less jittery around the blonde. Slipping into her chair opposite of Erica at the table gave Callie a new set of flutters as she realized that it was just the two of them over menus and dinner. She hoped that she didn’t become a nervous wreck before the drinks were served.  
  
Erica was effusive in her thanks. “I don’t know what I would have done without you, Callie.”  
  
Blushing Callie turned to settle her jacket on the chair behind her. “It was my pleasure, Erica.” She said quietly as she turned back to face her. Realizing what she said Callie quickly shifted gears to add, “I hope that some more of the parents will come to the dance tomorrow.” The smile was forced because Callie really didn’t want anyone else to show up to the dance the next day. Well, maybe she wanted some parents to come hang out with the kids, but she wanted Erica all to herself.  
  
Erica nodded in thought before she answered. “Yes. I have some of the teachers designated to recruit parents or they have to chaperone. In fact Dr. Sloan—” Erica left off hoping for more insight into her relationship.  
  
Laughing Callie interrupted her. “Mark is Marcos’ dad. We get along, but we’re not together.”  
  
Looking away and then back Erica explained, “It’s just that you rarely see both parents, especially getting along the way you did at the assembly.” Callie looked a little taken aback and Erica quickly pointed out. “We see it all the time at the school. Parents arguing in the parking lot, or parents in conferences blaming the other parent, sometimes requesting a separate conference for the mom and for the dad…”  
  
Callie shrugged. She didn’t want to talk to Erica about Mark, but she wasn’t nervous anymore either. “We just made a commitment to raise Marcos together even though we weren’t in a relationship.”  
  
Erica nodded and looked at Callie with new eyes. She had a friend who had a similar situation only it was because her friend was gay and had a child with her former boyfriend. His new wife and her girlfriend made quite the team of four when raising their little girl. Erica wasn’t sure, but she had an idea of why Callie wasn’t with Mark. Erica wasn’t interested in him, but she did realize that he was a good catch—good looking, good job, and involved in his son’s life. A single mom would have to really know what she wanted in order to pass up the convenience that someone like Dr. Sloan provided.  
  
“Do you want to share a couple of entrees or just order something separately?” Callie’s question snapped her out of her musings and Erica looked back down to the menu.  
  
“I’m not much of one for the spicy foods. If you like some of the mild ones we can split.”  
  
Callie liked the idea of sharing food with her new friend, for that’s what she had to call Erica in her mind. More than friends might be on her wish list, but Callie felt the need to hold back for once. Usually she just rushed in, but she felt that with Erica that wouldn’t be a good idea. She didn’t even know if Erica noticed her like that. To break her own train of thought she suggested, “Almond chicken?”  
  
They managed to float easily through the dinner discussing favorite Chinese restaurants in the area and plans for the dance the next day. Mark was not brought up again, but Callie remembered that Erica said he was chaperoning. She had yet another thing to talk to him about. Walking out to their cars in the light drizzle that had begun Callie happily hugged her jacket to herself. Erica looked beautiful in the halo of the parking lot street light with her curls collecting mist. After a quick goodnight she slipped into her car and Callie sat in her rover feeling buzzed. The night was not late, but it seemed like it was. Callie had that euphoric first date feeling that left her exhausted as she headed over to her mother’s to pick up Marcos. She still had to help him pack for vacation with his father. Callie thought it would be great to simply take his suitcase with her the next day and save her a trip home before the dance.  
  
“Mama? Si, I’m on my way.” Callie turned on the radio pleased to be greeted with a happy song.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
“You look nice.” Mark said as he walked over to her. He had been surprised that Callie wasn’t there for the beginning of the dance, but her mom had come in when she dropped Marcos off and they had shared knowing glances. Callie wanted to come for the second half of the dance in order to spare Marcos the discomfort of having both of his parents there. She knew that he had a crush on a girl in his class and she did try to minimize just how much she played the role of embarrassing mother. He looked adorable having gone with his grandmother for the afternoon to do homework and get ready. Callie was glad that he had such a good bond with his grandparents. It was nice to let her mom spoil him so that she could feel less guilty when she had to be strict. “Special occasion later?” Mark asked his voice dripping with implication.  
  
“Just happy to start my vacation as well.” Callie tried to not blush as she looked down at her carefully chosen outfit. She knew that she could not hide much from Mark but she hoped to pass off her joy as just being glad to have some time on her own before the holiday. “When is your flight tomorrow?”  
  
Mark looked around the dimly lit room locating Marcos and the girl he liked quickly and moving on. He was looking for Principal Hahn. He knew that they had not seen each other yet. He also knew that their first glances of each other would tell him more than Callie willingly would. He saw her in the far corner of the room talking to one of the teachers and turned his attention back to Callie. “10:15 to Maui.” He said with a huge grin. “He’s going to love the island girls, Callie.”  
  
Callie smacked his arm hard. “You said you weren’t going to encourage him!”  
  
Laughing hard Mark said, “Relax. It’s just a luau with the fire dancing. I won’t get him too wound up.” Mark looked to the side and then stepped back. “Speaking of wound up.”  
  
Callie was going to slap him, but she realized that Erica would see her. He had stepped back so that they were facing each other as Erica approached them. Before she could compose herself and greet her Erica began.  
  
“I’m so glad you could come back tonight, Callie. Everyone is saying how wonderful the decorations turned out.” One of the kids’ glow sticks had fallen to the floor and just as Callie opened her mouth to say something Erica’s foot hit it and rolled. Her momentum carried her forward into an awkward half hug with Callie that made Mark’s year. He slipped his hands in his pockets and slipped away from the two women with a smile.  
  
Holding onto the woman who had captured her full attention Callie breathed deep. “Are you okay, Erica?” She felt Erica get her feet back under her and adjust in her arms before pulling away. Callie fought the urge to pull her back into her arms.  
  
“I’m so sorry.” It was only half-lit in the room, but Callie knew that Erica would be a delightful shade of pink. Erica looked around for the offending item but didn’t see it. Callie dipped down and grabbed the glow stick holding it out to the other woman.  
  
“You didn’t hurt your ankle, did you?” Callie asked full of concern.  
  
Erica shook her head and swirled her ankle just in case. “Nope. It seems to be okay. Just my pride got injured.” She managed to give a half laugh to play it off.  
  
Callie chuckled at this and leaned close to whisper in her ear. “I don’t think anyone saw except for Mark.” Turning unexpectedly close to Callie, Erica murmured her thanks and pulled away. Callie looked around the room animatedly and threw up her hands. “I can’t believe how much better it looks full of people.” Callie said still breathless from the unexpected contact.  
  
The song changed from the fast paced dance music to a slower song and the DJ announced that it was ladies choice. “Have you seen Marcos already?” Erica looked around for him. When she found him she stepped close to Callie and nodded in his direction.  
  
“Is that Hilary?” Callie asked in a voice that seemed like a whisper under the music.  
  
Erica leaned close again to answer her. “Yes. They’re very cute. This is their first dance.”  
  
Callie couldn’t help the sweet ‘awe’ sound that fell from her lips at that: Marcos’ first dance with his crush at the first dance of his schooling. She couldn’t help but flash back to her own first dance and the awkwardness that was Michael Hodges. “I’m glad I didn’t miss it.”  
  
Erica stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest as she continued to watch them and the rest of the slow dancing couples. “The kids change so much while they are here. I can only imagine what Marcos was like a couple of years ago. It’s good that you could be here, Callie.”  
  
The music changed again and a small commotion on the far side of the room drew Erica’s attention. Callie watched her go until she heard Mark’s amused chuckle from behind her. “You move fast, Callie. I didn’t know you had it in you.”  
  
Callie turned on him. Her mouth formed into the perfect circle of shock. “Mark.”  
  
“When did you go from Dr. Torres to Callie?” He asked her straight-faced. Then he stepped closer to press his advantage and in a smirk he added, “Oh last night.”  
  
Callie blushed mightily at his words, but they were close enough to the truth that she couldn’t outright refute them. “I was the only one to really help with the decorations yesterday, Mark. Was she going to call me Dr. Torres for hours when it was just the two of us?”  
  
Mark shook his head and turned to face the dancers again. He just loved to rattle Callie’s cage even after all these years. He crossed his arms over his chest and then began to rub his chin with his fingers. “Just the two of you, huh? Sounds nice, Cal.” He pretended to dreamily think about it before he turned mostly toward her again and lowered his voice to be more serious. “Be careful, Cal. I don’t want you to get hurt.”  
  
Marcos came over then and he and Mark exchanged high fives with minimal talking. All of them knew it was about his first dance with Hilary, but even the adults knew that it wasn’t the time to talk about it. Callie gave Marcos a quick half hug and they talked quickly about how he was going with his dad after the dance. Then Marcos was off again. Callie and Mark went to the parking lot to switch over Marcos’ suitcase before the dance ended. As everyone was leaving Mark whispered to her, “Stay out of trouble, Dr. Torres.”  
  
Callie gave him a kiss on the cheek and giggled. “You’re just jealous I can stay and talk to her for a bit.”  
  
After Hilary’s ride drove away Marcos came running over. “Yes.” Mark said. “Yes, I am.” With that Marcos was pulling him toward the dark blue SAAB. He gave a quick salute to Callie.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Callie went back inside to find Erica pulling down streamers and the custodian sweeping the floor. The lights shining on the remnants of the dance made it seem quite final—everyone had gone home, the school was dark except for the multi-purpose room and the school was shutting down. Callie felt like a kid again sneaking back into the room looking for treasures. When Erica turned to look at her with a paper pineapple in her hand, Callie nearly squeaked. Indeed she was looking for a treasure and X marked the spot. Callie smiled at her and shrugged, “Nice pineapple, Erica.” The blonde laughed and Callie hoped she could memorize the sound. She turned to pull down the decorations from the nearest wall.  
  
Independently Callie and Erica started to roll the streamers around their hands in order to scoop them up easier. When they were twenty feet away from each other they realized that they had pulled opposite ends of the same streamer from the loosely scattered decorations on the floor. They continued winding the streamers around their hands until they were quite close together. Erica removed the streamer from her hand and took the roll off of Callie’s as well. She half turned and tossed them on the overflowing box of decorations they had already gathered up. Callie looked nervously from Erica’s hands to her face and then ran her hand through her hair in a fit of nerves. Erica smiled when her hand got stuck. “Were you around the boys with the silly string?” Her fingertips gently pushed Callie’s out of the way and tenderly picked at what was caught in Callie’s hair.  
  
Unable to speak, Callie bit her lip and nodded. The trouble makers had been sent home with their parents about half an hour before the dance was over, but not before they had silly stringed several of their classmates and a couple of the chaperones. Callie had thought she was out of range, but had been mistaken. Trying not to fidget Callie stood with her hands helplessly at her sides as she watched Erica’s face in concentration and felt Erica’s fingers in her hair. Callie wondered if this was what it was like to be burned at the stake because her body was on fire standing there watching the most gorgeous woman helping her. She had seen Erica upset with her son, full of joy as they laughed, filled with mischief after she scared her, and now in earnest concentration as she picked at her hair. Each side of the woman compelled Callie to continue to get to know the woman who had so completely captured her attention.  
  
“Sorry. Uh.” Erica came face to face with Callie as she lowered her hands and looked at her. Her skin flushed pink and she quickly looked down at her hands. “Sorry I took so long. I didn’t want to pull your hair.” Both of them blushed at that, but each took a deep breath and looked at the other with the smallest sliver of hope.  
  
“Thanks, Erica.” Callie’s hand came up of its own volition. Instead of taking the blue silly string out of her hand Callie wrapped her fingers around it lowering their hands together. Their faces were impossibly close as their eyes each searched the others’ for any sign.  
  
“That dumpster is mighty full, Ms. Hahn.” Rudy, the head custodian, stood in the doorway of the multi-purpose room absently stretching his tired body this way and that. “You said they will come for it next week, ma’am?” He had taken his hat off and was adjusting his back brace as he waited for confirmation.  
  
Erica turned to him at once and began talking to him about the check-list she had given him earlier. Once that was taken care of they could all go home or away for two weeks and not look back. Erica overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions she wasn’t sure she wanted to deal with found herself suddenly tired and looking intensely forward to some time away. Callie had finished taking down the decorations and hauled half of the boxes up onto the stage for storage before she came back to the multipurpose room.  
  
“I have to go soon, Erica. I need to do a few things before I leave tomorrow.”  
  
Erica wanted vacation and a break, but somehow she didn’t want that to mean not seeing Callie. They had been discussing the sixth grade field trip while they were decorating the night before and it occurred to her that Callie would be a good reference for planning that trip. “Leaving on a trip, Callie?” She asked as a plan started to take shape in her mind.  
  
“Just a few days down to see a friend of mine in LA.” Callie smiled thinking of Addison’s back deck facing the ocean waves. Washington beaches just didn’t have the same feel as the Southern California ones. It may not be very warm, but they were still beautiful and Callie loved to soak in the sound of the waves and look at the surfers riding waves.  
  
“I was wondering if you’d be around next week. You know after the holiday. I thought you could help me with the sixth grade trip planning.” Erica wanted it to sound like a business invitation even if her motives for meeting up with the beautiful woman were personal.  
  
“Yes. The exhibit. Right.” Callie was thinking of her days and what she had going on. Sometimes she loved having a huge family that lived practically in her back pocket. Other times she wished she was a lone ranger. “I’d love to check it out with you. I mean to see if it’s how you want to spend the day with the sixth graders.” Callie left off bambling and Erica nodded and smiled at her.  
  
To an outsider they looked like a pair of idiots.  
  
Cupid’s idiots perhaps, but idiots nonetheless.  
  
Cloud nine was not big enough for Callie to rest her head on that night as she fell asleep knowing that Erica would call her next week. In her mind they had a date to go see an exhibit and have lunch or dinner afterwards. ‘No. Not a date.’ Callie tried to tell herself. Trying to be rational was incredibly hard when Callie had on a loop how good it felt to hold Erica’s hand. It had been so warm and soft in hers. The feel of Erica’s body sliding against hers as she stood after her fall was incredible as well. Sleep was also hard to come by when she kept seeing the blue of Erica’s eyes and the gentle concentration that she had. Callie was so glad she had been able to unguardedly stare at her. Control flew right out the window when Callie tried not to imagine what might have happened if the custodian had not come into the multi-purpose room when he did.  
  
Callie checked her clock periodically and eventually decided she was doomed. She turned on the television and set her alarm to call Marcos in the morning to wish him off on a great trip. She figured that gave her plenty of time to pack in the morning for her own flight in the evening. She figured she’d either watch some great TV or be bored into catatonia by late night drivel and hopefully fall asleep.  
  
*** *** ***

 

  
  
_**What Took You So Long. Part 3/3.**_  
  
Callie sat waiting impatiently on the bench inside the restaurant. She didn’t do waiting well, but there was no way she was going to be anything but fifteen minutes early. She had chosen her order and changed it in her head at least a half a dozen times. This place was known for their garlic bread and lasagna, but Callie didn’t want to have any garlic. Then she convinced herself that was just silly hope talking and she should get whatever she wanted. Callie looked up and out the window just in time to watch Erica crossing the street. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a light blue cashmere sweater. Callie thought it nice to see her relaxed and away from school. The fuzzy blue of the sweater made her want to reach out and touch Erica. Callie was so lost in a daydream about how soft it would feel and Erica’s skin underneath it that she didn’t see Erica enter the restaurant.  
  
“Distracted?” Erica’s low voice asked with more than a hint of amusement. She clasped her sunglasses and slipped them in her bag.  
  
Callie looked up startled. She could still smell the cold of the outside air on Erica.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
The exhibit definitely would have kept the sixth graders attention, however it might have reappeared in their dreams in the form of nightmares. Erica couldn’t deny the thrill of going through it with Callie. Her face was so full of wonder that such an exhibit would exist. She felt free to point out flaws, and to explain details as she saw them in her work, and found the various poses that the bodies of the Body Worlds Exhibit were posed in whimsical. Callie would grab her hand when she took too long reading a placard and drag her to the next artifact. At first Erica’s heart would catch in her throat, but then she found herself dawdling on purpose. Three hours passed and the only clue was the announcement that in another part of the museum an expert talk would be starting. At the exit Callie kicked her toe into the ground and shyly asked if Erica wanted to go into the main museum. Erica inhaled to say no, but when Callie looked up at her with those gorgeous brown eyes and announced that she had never been Erica caved.  
  
At Erica’s nod, Callie pulled Erica by the hand back into the building where they could take in the rest of the scientific exhibits. This time Callie took her time reading the information and Erica found herself explaining different details she had learned over the years of going with school trips, friends and family. Instead of pulling Callie by the hand to hasten her to the next thing, Erica lingered close to her memorizing the details of wonder on her face and the feel of being close to the beautiful woman. Once the museum closed it was time for dinner and discussion, which suited both of the women who did not want their time to end. It was decided that the trip would be a two-part offer with some students and their parents choosing to go to the Body Worlds exhibit and others just going to the main science museum. Reluctantly, the two women parted to walk back to their cars.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Mark smiled as he walked out to greet his son at the door of the Rover. Marcos ran into the house when he told him what he had rented for them to watch. Callie smiled at him, but he knew she was avoiding him, so he climbed into the Rover instead of closing the door. “What’s up?” Callie tried to smile and greet him brightly, but he knew she was hoping that he would just let her go.  
  
“In a hurry, Torres?” Mark flashed the sexy Sloan smile at her as he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. When she didn’t answer him, he leaned closer to her and added, “Got a date?” Callie blushed, but shook her head in the negative.  
  
When he opened his mouth to comment further, Callie finally spoke. “The carnival is in two weeks.”  
  
That statement said a lot, but there were a great many things that it didn’t say. Mark looked at her for a few long moments. Marcos hadn’t been getting in trouble, but to hear him talk Callie was at school just as often as she used to be for him. Last month Callie had all but forbidden Mark from attending the 6th grade trip. Reaching out his hand and lowering his voice, Mark quietly asked, “How is it going?”  
  
Blowing her bangs away from her face, Callie shook her head. “There’s nothing to go.”  
  
Mark leaned back against the tan leather of the seats and regarded the mother of his son. There might not be anything going on, but he could tell that Callie was in deep. “You really like her.” It was a statement as much as it was a question. Callie nodded. Patting her arm, Mark sighed, “I just want the best for you, Cal.” Marcos came knocking on the window of the Rover then and they let the moment pass.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
The lights were in place for later, the game booths were all set up, the inflatables waited for air, the game truck was parked, and music was playing from the portable audio system they used for assemblies. People were moving from place to place making sure that food was stocked, prizes at the right location, and signs were up for the bathrooms and the book fair. “I don’t know where to put Edna.” Callie had leaned forward with the volunteer list in her hand. Erica turned to look at her quizzically and then leaned closer to look at the roster. Callie whispered in her ear when she was closer, “That’s the crazy one that always talks at the top of her lungs.”  
  
Amused Erica looked up into Callie’s eyes and she lingered close to her savoring the moment of quiet.  
  
A gush of air signaled the opening of the green staff lounge door and both women looked to see who had disturbed them. Mark smiled his most lascivious smile and innocently asked, “Am I interrupting, ladies, hmmm?” Looking to his right he saw the jar of jalapenos for the nachos, he grabbed it and made his escape. As soon as he left, Callie stopped throwing daggers at him with her eyes and saw the blush on Erica’s cheeks. It might have been the perfect time to say something, but it must not have been because the office door to the staff room as well as the outside door Mark had just left opened with people streaming in to grab things, chat, and ask questions of the two event organizers.  
  
One of the girls suspended earlier in the week tried to attend the carnival; a couple of the boys shoved each other a few times when cotton candy ended up in someone’s hair; they ran out of pizza and sodas; and Marcos asked to go home after Hilary danced with friend Irving in the middle of the patio—otherwise the carnival was a complete success. At least Marcos had won two of the prizes before he left, so the evening was not a total wash. She was also glad that Mark had been willing to have some male bonding time with his son, so that she could stay at the carnival—after all she was the main parent organizer.  
  
Once the lights had been locked up for the night, the inflatables deflated and rolled up, and all the other bits and bobs put away, people lingered chatting into the evening while the remaining kids ran around throwing bits of cotton candy from the ground on each other. Following Erica into the office, Callie hoped they would have a minute to talk. Erica had just finished locking her cabinet when she turned around to face Callie. Uncertain, Principal Hahn wiped her palms against her jeans and inwardly grimaced at what she would have to tell the other woman. “Callie,” her voice held more question than she wished it did, but she bravely continued. “What Dr. Sloan said earlier—”  
  
Callie blushed and looked down at the key lanyard in her hand. “I’m sorry about that, I mean him, I mean—”  
  
Principal Hahn pulled herself up to her full height, letting the weight of her position settle on her shoulders. “No, Callie, I’m sorry. He was right, wasn’t he? We’ve been getting closer and closer.” She couldn’t help it that her eyes held Callie’s or that tears hinted at the back of her own. “Your son is a student at my school.”  
  
Gripping the key lanyard tightly until she could feel the pressure of her fingertips against her palm, Callie broke her eye contact to look at it. The green fabric said Hollybrooke Elementary. She had been so happy when Erica had slipped it over her head in an oddly intimate gesture before the carnival started. Holding out her hand, Callie swallowed back the tears that she knew would come. “I understand, Principal Hahn.” Setting the key down on the desk, Callie turned and made a beeline to the parking lot.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Mark gently lay Marcos down on the couch as he got up to answer the door. It could only be one person and the reason couldn’t be a happy one. He just hoped that Marcos would stay asleep for a while. It had taken him a long time to calm down from his hurt over the girl he liked and his friend Irving’s behavior, although the Xbox 360 he had won at the carnival did a lot to assuage his first heartbreak. After trying all the games that came with the system and watching a movie and a half, he had finally conked out. Mark was glad that he only had to manage part of the time with his son—he was sure he’d have to cut back his hours at the hospital in order to keep up with the boy. He had always admired Callie, but it was on nights like this one that he understood a little bit of what she went through.  
  
“Is he asleep?” Callie whispered as she pushed past Mark in the entryway.  
  
“Don’t wake him, Callie. It took forever to get him settled.” Mark cautioned her with an arm on her shoulder.  
  
Callie turned to make eye contact with him and he could see the puffiness of recent tears. He sighed and pointed to the living room where the images on the tv bathed their son in the bright lights of Transformers or Iron Man or whatever was still on at this point. Callie swiftly made her way over to the couch where she peered over the back of it and traced her finger along Marcos’ cheek.  
  
“Come on.” He pulled her by the hand into the kitchen. “You could use a drink.”  
  
Callie sighed and pulled back the heavy wooden chair. She settled her purse on the table and accepted the bottle of beer held out to her. Taking a thankful swallow of the golden beverage, Callie rotated the bottle in her fingertips, letting it rattle against the tabletop.  
  
“Wanna tell me about it?” Mark asked as he took a sip of his own beer and settled in next to her where he could still see Marcos sleeping.  
  
Callie took another sip and shook her head, “Nothing to tell you about.” She gave him a wide-eyed smirk sort of look that screamed ‘what the fuck’ and then took another drink.  
  
Feeling a little guilty, Mark frowned and leaned closer to his friend. “Was it because of what I said?”  
  
“Yes, no, I mean, I think your comment made her say something about how we’ve been getting closer, but,” Callie scrubbed her hand over her face in frustration. “We were getting closer and closer, I mean, she, we, um, something would have been said... or done… at some point.” Callie looked at Mark to see if she had made sense and then flapped her arms up and out in a gesture of giving up. “I guess it’s better this way.” She looked forlornly into her beer and then finished it in a few sips.  
  
“Her reason?” Mark knew this answer would explain a lot more than Callie was currently understanding.  
  
“Our son goes to her school.” Callie said flatly.  
  
“Not for long.” Mark pointed out and waited for the penny to drop in Callie’s mind. Once she was smiling too, Mark slid an opened envelope over to her. At her questioning look, he explained, “Marcos won one of the mystery envelopes, remember?”  
  
Uncertain, Callie slid the envelope to the edge of the table. She recognized Erica’s handwriting on the outside of the envelope and her heart flip-flopped as she slid the heavy card stock prize coupon out of the envelope. ‘Dinner with the Principal’ was clearly written in the beautiful blonde’s handwriting. Underneath it was a list of three restaurants to choose from and the requirement of a parent being present. Callie slammed it back down on the table and looked up at Mark. “I can’t, I can’t do that.” Callie shook her head.  
  
“Relax.” Mark smugly smiled. “I can always go, but you might like the opportunity a month from now, Callie.” When she stood up shaking her head, Mark joined her. “She didn’t reject you, Callie. She just doesn’t want to date a parent of one of her current students. When Marcos graduates or gets clapped out or whatever, then you won’t be a parent of a kid at her school.” When Callie turned wide eyes toward him, he smiled. “Come on, Torres, I’ve taught you better than this.” He motioned for her to sit down again and then turned back to the fridge when she settled back into her chair.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Callie couldn’t help her nerves. She knew it wasn’t a date, yet she still had to dress her best. Principal Hahn had seen her in her scrubs, frantic, angry, disappointed, happy, in casual wear, and slightly nice wear, but she had never seen her dressed to impress. Coming out to the living room, Callie checked her lipstick in the mirror near the front door. She looked around for Marcos and when she didn’t spot him waiting for her, she knew he’d be in the bathroom mooning over his hair. Those spikes—Callie didn’t know where he had gotten it from. She preened, but nothing like the males in her life and even Mark practiced that ‘I look great because I deliberately don’t bother half the time.’ Nearing the bathroom door in the hallway, Callie wrinkled her nose at the smell of hair glue and hairspray. So totally focused on his fingers pulling the perfect spike, Marcos didn’t even notice his mother smirking at him in the mirror. He blasted the apparently uncooperative strand of hair with what must be some kind of wood finishing product. “Ay dios mio!” Callie spluttered as she caught a whiff of the stuff. “Marcos! She scolded him. “You’re going to asphyxiate yourself!”  
  
Blushing, Marcos hurriedly put down his sculpting implements and wiped his hands on his jeans. “Mom!” He stepped out into the hallway with his mother thankful for the fresh air. “You look great, mom.” He looked her over from head to toe, his proud smile giving away his Sloan heritage.  
  
Swallowing her reaction to the heartfelt moment, Callie turned and walked towards the front door once more. “Marcos, come on. It’s time to go. I don’t want Principal Hahn waiting.” It hurt to say the woman’s title, but it helped to remind her of their separation.  
  
“Wait!” Marcos ran down the hallway and began a loud rummaging in her room. Callie narrowed her eyes when she heard some inappropriate words, but then smiled when he apparently kicked her bed and could be heard hopping around on one leg. “You gotta wear this!” He said as he ran down the hall thrusting a dangling necklace toward her.  
  
“Oh, honey.” The rejection traveled from her mind to her throat and almost right out of her lips, but she caught it in time. He just wanted her to look her best and he knew it was her favorite necklace, even if she hadn’t worn it much since Jessica didn’t come around anymore. Callie took the necklace and looked down at it trying to will her eyes to cooperate—they did not have time for her to re-do her eye make-up. The pendant was made up of three pieces of misshapen pinkish and pearly abalone shell that created a heart. She had found it on one of her trips down the coast with Marcos, before she even met Jessica. She had seen finding it as a sign of good things to come and had worn it nearly every day while things were going well between them. Sighing, Callie held it out to her son and turned away pulling her hair up so that he could put it around her. Somehow she felt that same feeling of hope looking at it now, that she had when she found the unique artist’s necklace that day.  
  
Marcos’ fingers fumbled a little, but once he got it, he patted his mom on the back and said with more maturity that she had given him credit for, “It will work out, mom. She likes you.”  
  
With wide brown eyes that Callie refused to allow to fill with tears, she regarded her son. Then with a nod instead of trembling words, Callie pointed toward the door. Her body language was clear ‘enough of this hallmark moment, let’s go.’  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Marcos smiled as they approached the table in the fancy Italian restaurant. It hadn’t been on the original list, but it was one of his dad’s suggestions for romantic restaurants. He had only had to beg a little bit to get Principal Hahn to agree, which made him even more certain that he understood her side of the equation right. Seeing the tall, intimidating Principal Hahn stand and shyly smooth down her dress had Marcos’ heart swelling to over flowing with the sense of right in his world. The awkward half-hug almost handshake between the two women made him laugh. Knowing it would scandalize his principal, Marcos walked right up to her and hugged her like she was also his parent or close family. Her hand half circling him for a quick press was just right.  
  
The excitement danced in both women’s eyes as they looked at each other and half hid in their menus. Marcos thought that it was sure sad the situations that adults got themselves into. Once they had ordered, there wasn’t much to say. The carnival was two months in the past and neither wished to discuss that last conversation. Marcos had not gotten in trouble or injured since November. Callie didn’t even want to bring up the end of the year dance as she had vowed to avoid it like the plague.  
  
“You know my dad is a total flirt, right?” Marcos leaned toward Principal Hahn in a conspiratorial manner.  
  
Callie shook her head and warned him with a quick hiss, “Marcos.”  
  
“The other day he was sitting with his friend Derek at work and he totally thought these girls at lunch were flirting with them.” Marcos loved it when his dad messed up in the romantic arena. It always made for humorous anecdotes and he knew that it was okay to not be perfect all the time.  
  
“I’m so sorry, Erica.” Callie said before she realized the name slip.  
  
Marcos snickered and continued his story. “One of the girls came up to him and asked who he was. He said that he was worried that she was young for him. At least after the fact, that’s what he said.” Marcos shook his head giggling. “She told him that he looked like her dad!”  
  
The blonde pursed her lips to contain her amusement. After so many years in education, she had plenty of experience with taking the things that kids tell you in stride. It was admittedly a little harder in the more personal setting of this romantic restaurant where she wished she was on a date with the student’s mother instead of honoring a carnival prize.  
  
Callie took Marcos hand into her own and leaned as close to him as she thought she could get away with in the public setting. Keeping eye contact and a calm voice, she scolded him, “You know you aren’t supposed to repeat anything that Uncle Derek tells you unless I’ve heard it.”  
  
Marcos wiggled his hand out of her grasp and looking plaintively into her eyes, he said, “I saw it. Abuela brought me to see dad on our way home.” When he saw Callie sigh in resignation, he slyly turned to face Erica, “Those girls flirted with me instead.”  
  
Rolling her eyes heaven ward, Callie exasperatedly let her hand fall on the table. “Ay dios mio.” She sighed hoping that the night would end swiftly without too many Mark tell-alls or any other kind of awkwardness.  
  
Her prayers were not to be answered though, as Erica leaned forward and let her hand rest on Callie’s. “It’s okay, Cal.” Her voice was that friendly deep rumble they had developed what felt like a lifetime ago when they had spent hours together planning an event for school, out to dinner because of it, or even talking on the phone.  
  
Callie turned her hand over and held Erica’s for a brief moment. Then with tears in her eyes she gave a squeeze and pulled her hand away. Erica opened her mouth to say something as Marcos avidly watched the play between the two women he adored as much as his abuela. His mouth dropped open as he hoped that his mother didn’t runaway and that Erica would finally say something. However it wasn’t the time for that as the moment was broken with the arrival of their waiter, his helper and three steaming plates of pasta.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Pulling the Range Rover into the parking lot, Callie sighed and told her mom goodbye. Principal Hahn was out front and she was looking for someone. Something in the set of her shoulders went from searching to preparing for the inevitable as soon as she saw the Rover. Callie knew the woman could not see her, or at least not very well from that distance—through the tinting and her dark sunglasses—but it still hurt that Erica’s posture had turned defensive as soon as she knew that Callie was there. The year was almost over. She wouldn’t have to see Erica again unless the other woman willed it to happen. Marcos was going to middle school with a great finish to 6th grade. She was sure becoming a teenager would have its share of troubles, but at least her heart could breathe a little easier without the added stress of seeing a certain blonde always just out of reach. She didn’t dare hope for it, but she was going to say something before the end of the year so that Erica (no matter how she had tried she couldn’t go back to calling her Principal Hahn anymore) would know that she still wanted a chance.  
  
She wasn’t ready to see the woman yet, and from the set of her shoulders the school’s leader wasn’t ready for her even though she had been searching her out in the parking lot.  
  
No words were exchanged between them as Callie wordlessly pointed to the office to confirm that she was needed inside for Marcos. Erica simply nodded and led the way forward, trying not to look back at Dr. Torres (she knew it was a lie from the way it made her stomach feel every time she tried to put Callie back in that role in her mind). Her shoulders squared, Erica stepped past Marcos into her office and around her desk anticipating Callie joining her as they had done before.  
  
Instead Callie stopped in front of Marcos. She slipped her glasses slowly off her face and looked down at her son as she folded the arms and slipped them into her bag. She kneeled down and put her hand on his knee for her balance as she looked into his eyes. “What did you do?” Her words were quiet and laced with a layer of hurt that Marcos knew he hadn’t caused, but that he hadn’t helped either.  
  
Leaning his head forward Marcos tried to break the eye contact. “She’ll tell you.” He muttered pointing toward the office. His words were low and spread thin over an edge of emotion that was about to break them.  
  
Lifting her hand from his knee, Callie slipped a fingertip under his chin and pulled him up to look at her again. She could see a cut on his lip and another on his cheek. Narrowing her eyes at him, she scolded her son. “She’ll tell me what happened, but you will tell me why.”  
  
His lip trembling as he stared into her brown eyes, Marcos knew he better not try to talk. Instead he nodded his head and willed her to believe him. He would tell her everything, anything, if she would just go into that office and talk to Principal Erica Hahn, the woman who sure as hell liked his mama—the same woman who his mama just might love.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
The drive to his father’s house was incredibly silent. His mother had put her sunglasses back on. She didn’t give him the lecture about knowing better, or how she and Mark worked hard so that he didn’t want for anything, and she didn’t even mention that his time at his father’s house might need to be permanent. She did not ask him about the fight with Irving. She didn’t even tell him what the punishment was for school.  
  
Hugging his back pack tightly on his lap and trying not to let the tears fall, Marcos decided this was worse than any punishment he had ever received—and nothing had even been said or done to him except that he had been kept in the office, his mom had come, and then they had left the school.  
  
Callie got out of the Rover and was already around it by the time Mark had stepped out to greet them. From the set of both of his family member’s bodies, he knew that something big had happened. He silently held the door open for them and told Marcos to put his things in his room. Callie hadn’t even stopped and Mark whistled inwardly at the state of his weekend. “From the cuts on his face, I’d say trouble at school?”  
  
Nodding, Callie popped the cap off her beer and set the opener on the table.  
  
Mark pulled a cold one out of the fridge for himself and reached for the bottle opener. As he leaned back against the counter facing her, he added, “Which was trouble for you?”  
  
With another nod, Callie pulled off her sunglasses and he could see the war she was fighting with the tears just waiting to betray her emotions. Setting his bottle on the counter, he pulled her up and wrapped himself around her. She needed comfort even if she didn’t want it from him. “What happened?”  
  
“She was all business.” Callie wrapped her arms around him, pulling the fabric of his shirt into her fists. “Marcos fought Irving and that was that. He’s suspended for two days.”  
  
Mark could feel the anger and sadness radiating out from her with nowhere to go. “Did he say why?”  
  
Over Callie’s shoulder Mark saw as their son stopped at the threshold, his head bowed. He felt Callie shake her head and then heard her mumble. “I couldn’t talk on the way over.”  
  
Using the silence like a scalpel, Mark stared at his son while his hands rubbed circles on Callie’s back. Eventually Marcos would look up and eventually he would speak. Mark knew this as certain as he knew himself. It was a tactic he had used on Callie and one that her mom had used on him. Callie’s breathing was slowing down and her hands were relaxing from the grip they had on his shirt, when Marcos spoke.  
  
“I wanted you to talk.”  
  
Mark’s eyebrows rose up in surprise—he wasn’t sure whose do-gooder genes those were, but he was proud of his son. He had to hold Callie back when she rose up straight and turned in his arms. “What?” At least being specific was a family trait, Mark idly thought as he made sure that Callie stayed rooted where she was.  
  
“You’re sad, momma.” Marcos’ blue eyes pleaded with her to understand, to acknowledge the truth.  
  
Mark couldn’t see it, but he could tell that Callie must have swallowed hard, closed her eyes and spoke to the Santos, just like her mother. He let her go knowing that she wasn’t going to lash out, but act with that amazing gentleness she had with her patience and almost always with their son. Callie kneeled down as she approached her son making him taller than her. “You got in a fist fight so that I would have to talk to Principal Hahn.” Callie fought back a sob as she tried to wrap her mind around her son’s amazingly misguided generosity.  
  
“Erica is nice, momma. Well, with you she’s nice.” Marcos shrugged. He didn’t mind thinking that they would be good together, but saying it out loud seemed pretty stupid. His dad never said any of this emotional stuff.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
The kids could barely contain themselves on the last day, and the parents quite frankly weren’t much better. At least the adults didn’t start arriving until the last half an hour of school. Erica couldn’t help herself looking out the window for a certain Range Rover. There was no way that Callie would miss this, but that didn’t mean she was going to arrive early. No, those times of easy companionship and thinking of ways to extend conversations were gone. Shaking her head, Erica forced herself to review her notes and make sure that if anything was amiss, she could rectify it in time. Soon enough it would be time to herd the parents, call out the 5th grade class, as well as Ms. Montgomery (who was retiring this year), and then in no time at all it would be time to clap out the 6th graders and symbolically send them off to middle school. The end of this year was bitter sweet in more ways than one. Erica looked out the window again, only to realize what she was doing to herself. Standing in a huff, she let her chair roll back behind her on its own as she took her list out to terrorize Dolores. Ms. Littleton had been at Hollybrook before Principal Hahn, however that didn’t mean she would stay as long.  
  
Ms. Montgomery lead the 6th graders out of their classrooms and around the main quad of the school while the 5th graders and their teachers clapped and cheered for them. Each round was a chance for high-fives, pictures, and for each student to proudly enjoy the spectacular moment of moving from one of life’s challenges toward the next one. Supervising the controlled chaos, Erica wondered why more of life’s moments were not celebrated in this cost-effective and truly affirming way. Looking at all the classrooms as you passed by, you could think of the teachers that you had and the highs and the lows of each time. Having your peers send you off with a ‘job well done’ was quite rewarding, especially knowing that you had been in their position just the year before and looking forward. Having your parents there on the special day. Yes, more adults would benefit from this type of celebration of milestones. Although perhaps it would be better to say loved one, instead of parent.  
  
Just as Erica’s thoughts arrived at this important detail, her eyes landed on the dark skinned Latina in the distance. She was clapping, smiling, and standing there with Mark Sloan. The blonde’s heart leapt in her chest, but she brutally shoved it back to where it belonged. This was not the time and she wasn’t sure if it would ever be the time. Coming around for the third lap, Marcos stopped and wrapped his principal in a hug that caused a lot of gasps from the crowd. Looking up at her as he pulled away, Marcos smiled the same kind of megawatt smile that his mother did. Erica shook her head at him, but smiled back. “You better call my mom!” He said quietly enough that no one else heard him.  
  
“We’ll see.” Erica said as clouds Marcos knew all too well covered her joyous expression. “I’m so proud of you, Marcos.” She managed to get out clearly before he ran off.  
  
*** *** ***  
  
Saturday afternoon, Callie had just taken a break when the phone rang. The ringtone was enough to tell her who was calling, but she had to check the name just in case. “Hello?” She murmured into the phone. The resulting silence was not what she had expected. Callie looked at her phone and even tapped the screen with the pad of her first finger. “Hello?” She tried again. Perhaps the fluttering in her stomach was for nothing, maybe the woman had not intended to hit the call button.  
  
“Your son was pretty adamant that I call you.” Erica kicked the counter in front of her and silently groaned as she looked heavenward in self-disgust. That was not what she had wanted to say—AT ALL.  
  
Callie sighed and stood up to pace in her living room. “That’s, um, that’s great.” Callie threw her hands up in the air wondering why the hell she had said that. This might be her only chance to talk to Erica and she was blowing it.  
  
The line was silent each wondering what to say, if they other was still on the line, and why this was so hard.  
  
“Can I talk to you?” Erica tried to ask and then, growling out loud and making Callie smile, she added, “Can I see you in person?”  
  
Not wanting to waste what might be her only chance, Callie nodded and then verbalized her answer as well, “Yeah, uh, I mean, yes. When?”  
  
A knock on her door made Callie groan as she turned to answer the door. “How about now?” Erica’s voice was low and throaty sending a shiver down Callie’s spine as she realized what was going on. Practically skip-hopping to the door, Callie yanked open her door.  
  
Their eyes met and they each smiled as they realized how happy the other woman was to see them. Taking Erica’s phone from her hand, Callie dragged the other woman into her house and shut the door. “What took you so long?” She growled at the other woman.  
  
Reaching out to pull Callie closer, Erica reveled in her new-found freedom to pursue the woman she had fallen in love with quite by accident one parent conference, boo boo, school trip, fundraiser, and shared moment at a time. “I’m going to Seattle Grace Middle School next year, not Fisher Middle School.”  
  
Callie stared at the blond who was finally in her arms and tried to fathom the unspoken details. Marcos was going to Fisher Middle School for 7th grade. “Oh!” Callie said as the penny dropped for her. “You didn’t want to get my hopes up.” Her words were full of barely held back passion as she realized that the other woman had held back even after school got out because she could have been at Marcos’ school the following year. Then she realized that it could happen the next year. “What if they move you next year?”  
  
Chuckling a deep throaty laugh, Erica smiled broadly. “Already on next year, huh?” She nuzzled Callie’s nose with her own while she tightened her hold on Callie. “I could wait to the end of this school year, but not another year or two.” She looked into Callie’s eyes. “They won’t move me so soon, but if they do, we’ll make it work. I waited this long to pursue you, Callie, I’m not waiting anymore.” As she finished those words, Erica looked into those soulful brown eyes and then let her gaze wander down to full pouty lips. Pressing forward slowly to give Callie plenty of time, Erica leaned forward until her eyes slipped shut; she could feel Callie’s breath against her lips and finally she felt Callie press against her. Their lips sliding together until eager tongues danced out, Callie and Erica weren’t sure who had moved, but smiled as Erica’s back pressed hard against the door.  
  
“Come on in, Erica. Welcome to my home.” Callie stared for many long moments into blue eyes that caressed her with their intensity. Walking was interrupted by kissing; however, neither of them minded when they fell onto the couch wrapped in each other.

 

 

  
  
**The End**

 

**x**


End file.
